Booktropeis trying out a new publishing model that blends the strengths of traditional and self-publishing. (GalleyCat)

Literary (and other) Losses

Leonard Nimoy, best known for playing Spock in the original Star Trek series and movies, died Friday, Feb. 27, 2015. An outpouring of grief and remembrances by fans and fellow actors filled social media sites, many with the hashtag #Spockisdead. Read the New York Times obituary for details of Nimoy’s life and career. A piece in Entertainment Weekly looks at his mastery of the acting craft in his portrayal of Spock. And Neda Ulaby said on NPR, “Spock could have been just pointy ears and punch lines. Leonard Nimoy gave him gravitas.” And humanity. (You can read my tribute to the man who brought Spock to life here. I’m still crying.)

Worth Reading

Perceptions of Diversity in Book Reviews. (Diversity in YA blog) Malinda Lo looks at the ways in which trade (professional) book reviews perceive and discuss diversity in YA books, and the biases they reveal. To quote, she describes “an environment in which particular beliefs are held as given: that readers are predominantly white; that books should explain their diverse content to those white readers; that too much diversity is unbelievable.” Her essay is long, but extremely well-written and backed up with plentiful examples. She is careful not to identify or single out individual reviewers, and focuses on trade reviews en masse. Though she does not address bias in reader reviews (like the one written by bloggers), her piece opened my eyes to assumptions I may be making without being aware of them.

The Politics of Comfort. Jim C. Hines argues (persuasively) that all fiction, including SFF, is political, and that is part of what makes it important. (His definition of political goes well beyond systems of government; he’s talking about diversity and inclusion, among other things.)

Diversity in SF/F. Jim Hines is also hosting a series of guest posts on diversity and (under)representation in science fiction and fantasy. I have found all the posts interesting and thought-provoking. Here are a few: Discovering the Other (John G. Hartness talks about developing empathy as a result of reading SF/F) and I’m Not Broken[Annalee Flower Horne on the portrayal of sexual assault survivors (not graphic).]

For Writers & Bloggers

Book & Movie Announcements

The SYNC titles for 2015 are up! SYNC is a program offering free YA audiobook downloads It runs from runs May 7 through Aug 13. Each week, they offer two titles for download, usually a newer release and a thematically-related classic or older title. The schedule hasn’t been finalized yet, but the books are listed at the link above. You can also go to SYNC’s home page and sign up for their email list.

J. K. Rowling: A Bibliography 1997-2013 has been compiled by Phillip Errington, whom I assume is a very dedicated fan. It contains “details of each edition of all her books, pamphlets and original contributions to published works, there is detailed information on the publishing history of her work, including fascinating extracts from correspondence.” OK then. (GalleyCat)

6 Responses to “News & Notes – 2/28/15”

I read the Malinda Lo post and it was interesting. Anna’s post on heroine age was also interesting; she was one of several unhappy bloggers when that guest post first appeared. Too old indeed, grrrr.Bea @Bea’s Book Nook recently posted…Sunday Book Share #130

The Sync program looks great! I remember you posting about these free audiobooks before but didn’t really understand how it worked. Does anyone else think the logo is weird though, like a cross between a zombie and a bowling ball? Oh, and thanks for mentioning my title post…I’m posting a discussion about GOOD titles this month!Lory @ Emerald City Book Review recently posted…Pieces of Truth: Alias Grace